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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — in control
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cold — an illness
  12. suit — clothes
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cold — not warm
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. suit — in cards
  18. foot — a measure
  19. charge — a price
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — for betting
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com